The Day You Told Me You Loved Me
by 1337Kitty
Summary: MacCready and Nora finally voice the unspoken feelings between them. (NSFW)


Passing under the flapping, tattered banners at Concord, MacCready noticed something lighter in Nora's steps as they neared the old Red Rocket gas station.

"I remember around this time of year how Sanctuary was so beautiful. Too bad I was only able to see it once before the bombs," Nora recalled, her eyes staring into the distance, "The trees turned brilliant shades of red, yellow, and everything in between. The leaves, when they fell, lined the road in a sea of deep reds and golden ambers. I wish you been there- Oh, you would've loved it."

He gazed at her and wondered if the red leaves Nora so vividly described matched her auburn hair, tied back in her usual messy bun. What would it have been like to witness the autumn leaves twirling around her in the breeze- to see her laughing back then without the weight of the world on her shoulders? A pang of sadness hit his gut. He was selfish- he knew he was- but he was glad she was in the here and now. If he had existed back then, Mac thought, it would be Nate enjoying the autumn atmosphere with Nora- not him.

Glancing over, she caught him staring out of the corner of his eye. Her eyes quickly darted away as her heart skipped and cheeks bloomed light pink. Mac, trying his hardest not grin like an idiot, slyly hooked his ring and pinkie finger around two of hers in a shy handhold. "Probably. But I wouldn't go back in time for anything to miss this."

What was 'this'? He still hadn't figured out. This proverbial thing had been growing between them steadily since she had hired him. It went above and beyond just physical attractiveness, although at times the soft, curvy pre-war body laying mere feet away had kept him up at night. The want to see her smile, the need to hear her snorting laugh at his lame jokes, and to just feel her close to him was what he wished for- more than anything. _Oh f'ing dammit! I'm in deep. Shiii-_

"I'll race ya there," Nora said, letting go of his hand, "First one there gets dibs on the shower."  
Rolling his eyes, MacCready sighed. "Fine." The last thing he wanted to do was run, but the sooner he could reach the Red Rocket, the sooner he could have a bath and a hot meal.

"Ready?" She grinned, practically beaming with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. He saw it in her face a second before she bolted. And she was gone in a small cloud of dust. Nora sprinted down the cracked road in a fit of giggles.

"H-hey!"

Chasing after her, he noted that her endurance had improved significantly since they first met. Even with the head start, MacCready was starting to gain ground. The Red Rocket was in sight, peeking into view from behind the billboard overgrown with ivy. Just a little further and-

Lunging forward, he caught her around the waist, holding her to his chest.

"Ah! You got me!" She squirmed, laughing as she struggled against him halfheartedly.

"You can go ahead and use the tub first," MacCready said, kissing her neck, "It's not like you are going to use up all the hot water... right, Nora?"

The prickle of his beard on tender skin behind her ear and the warm puff of breath on her neck caused a shiver to run down her spine. Nora had no clue how long she was silent before she was able to form words.

"I'll try to leave you some water."

He gave a high-pitched chuckle as she pulled out of his grip, bounding into the bath house, and sliding the door shut behind her.

Flicking the light switch, he shuffled inside the Red Rocket office that had been converted to a bedroom. MacCready propped his rifle against the wall. Seating himself at the foot of the bed, he proceeded to shrug off his coat, scarf, and hat to a pile in the floor. He would worry about washing his clothes later, he told himself. The room was snug, but the vault-dweller had made it her own with a few homely touches- a magazine rack full of comics, a dresser, bobble heads that she had collected, and a radstag head that hung over the doorway. A cot took up the corner, with a three-legged end table beside it.

His eyes fell to the miniature wooden soldier resting on the table. A pang of both relief and sadness hit him square in the gut. She kept it. I thought she would've tossed the old thing out by now. Perhaps it was the first time he was feeling how broken he was, or maybe it was the broken pieces coming back together. It was the one sentimental thing he had carried around for years after Lucy's death. Nora had no obligation to keep it. He wouldn't have blamed her for just re-purposing the damn thing like she had so many other pieces of junk she had stumbled upon in the wasteland. Reaching for the pocket of his duster, he removed the cool metal object. He turned Nate's ring over and over in his palms, watching the gold glisten in the florescent light, before setting it carefully beside the figurine.

"It's all yours, tough guy," Nora said, her bare feet padding against the tile as she stepped into view, "Don't worry, there's plenty of hot water left."

"Oh good, I-" The rest of the sentence, whatever it was, died as MacCready's gaze settled on her. Nora's hair draped in wet coils around her shoulders and gentle slope of her full breasts, her curvy body barely concealed by a towel. He sat there gaping at her with slowly widening eyes and flushed cheeks.

Tilting her head, she cocked an eyebrow, her lips quirked into a hint of a smile. "Something wrong, Mac?"

MacCready turned away awkwardly to the side, staring at the scuffed tiles, and muttered, "C-course not. Was wondering when you'd be done."

Nora laughed, loud and snorting laughter. "Oh, come on! You've seen me in way less."

Maybe he had, but his brain must have short circuited because all he could think was _'Holy. Shit. Fuck.'_

The mercenary shook his head, trying to clear all dirty thoughts from his mind. "You sure took your sweet time. Are you sure there's any water left?" he asked with a nervous laugh. Striding to the dresser, he rifled through it, grabbing the first set of clothes he came across. "Well, anyway, I'm just gonna..." Slipping past Nora, he raced to the bath house as if a predator was on his heels, shutting the door with a slam.

Setting the clean clothes on the closed toilet seat lid, he undressed and stepping into the ceramic tub. The tepid water felt amazing on his dirt-caked skin. The lukewarm water cascaded down his back as he scrubbed his hair with a bar of soap. He sighed happily when he was done, drying himself before dressing. The white button-up shirt and jeans were a few sizes too big. Rolling up the shirt sleeves, he silently decided the clothes were comfortable enough to keep and stepped outside. The smell of roast meat hung heavily in the air, making him realize how hungry he was.

"Come on up," Nora called down to him from the roof of the building, "Dinner is ready!"

Huh, that's new. They usually ate on the salvaged patio furniture out back. Even what she was wearing, her hair down with a sleeveless blue jean jacket and pink miniskirt, was new. With a shrug, Mac cautiously climbed the creaky stairs. Sitting on a sleeping bag, Nora gestured him over with a wave. In front of her was a cardboard box with two bramin steaks on sparkling clean plates, a rarity in the Wastes. The sight alone of the steaks, grilled to perfection, made his mouth water.

"Wow, what's the occasion?"

"No occasion. I wanted to show you that I appreciate all you've done for me," she said twisting off the bottle cap of a Nuka-Cola.

He chuckled, sitting down next to her. "Aww, you shouldn't have."

Over dinner they idly chatted about the nice weather, how long they were going to rest at Sanctuary before embarking on their next adventure, and about recent letters to Duncan. When they were finished, Nora removed the makeshift table and plates, returning to her seat beside MacCready. The light was fading, the clouds turning into a swirl of pink and purple, as the two gazed at the lavender sky.

MacCready had tried to fight it, to ignore it, to forget about it, but there had been a nagging at the back of his mind that grew stronger every day. His stomach tightened and his heart hammered in his chest, drowning out all else. _Come on, man! Just do it._ He couldn't fight it anymore. Mac had to tell her- to voice this feeling, whatever it was, if only to get it off his chest how much he loved her. Swallowing hard, the mercenary drew a deep breath and opened his mouth.

"I love you."

MacCready exhaled in a whoosh of breath like he had been punched in the gut. The words, spoken low and sweet, had not come from him. His attention snapped toward Nora, who was staring off into the horizon with unfocused gaze.

She twisted and untwisted her hands in her lap. "I've wanted to tell you for so long... I don't even know how long."

"Uh," the sound escaping his throat sounded strained and distant. Here Nora was spilling her heart to him and 'uh' was the only thing he could think to say. He felt like ten different kinds of stupid.

"You don't have to say it back- or anything at all really. I just wanted to say th-"

It was with those words that the dam, the imaginary thing that had been holding him back, collapsed entirely with a surge of emotion. Cupping her cheeks, thumbs running the delicate line of her jaw, Mac kissed her with a tender passion unlike any he's ever felt. Closing his eyes, he swallowed her surprised gasp against parted lips. He pulled away just enough to take a few shaky breaths.

"This little thing we have going between us... it's not so little anymore," MacCready stared into her face, eyes flicking from her beautiful hazel eyes, to the faint freckles on her cheeks, to her slick still-parted lips, "I love you so fu-reaking much."

Winding her arms around his neck, Nora pulled him in for another kiss. She leaned back, pulling him with her until she was flat on her back. Shifting his weight, Mac grew hyper-aware of his new position on top of her. Leaning on one elbow, his other hand trailed down to her waist. Her kiss was slow, deep, and picking up speed by the second. The languorous stroke of her tongue grew hot, heavy, wanting as she pressed closer to him. Hips rolling against his, soft sweet moans, her breasts rubbing the front of his shirt, Mac was so turned on he didn't know what to do with himself. He had never been this hard in his life! Rocking his hips back, her matched her movements, and kissed down her jaw to her neck. The noises that escaped his mouth were almost embarrassing, but it had been so long since anyone- since Lucy.

" _Robert_ ," Nora breathed with a shuddering moan.

"When you say my name like that... you have no idea what it does to me."

Nora laughed low and breathy, smiling against his shoulder, "I think I have a clue."

His chuckle turned into a long moan when she rolled her hips hard against his arousal. Nora dropped her hands to the end of his shirt, tugging it over his head. A feeling of self-consciousness hit him like a charging supermutant. He was still on the skinny side, with bullet holes and scars here and there. Sure he had some muscle, but he wasn't like her- with her straight white teeth and absolutely perfect pre-war body. All thoughts faded when fingers ghosted down his belly to the line of golden-brown hair past his navel, past the waist of his pants, knuckles skimming lower and lower until she shifted her grip around his cock.

" _Fuck_ ," he hissed under his breath. Nora grinned up at him, removing her hand and undoing the buttons on her jacket one by one. When the last button was unfastened, she tugged it off, throwing it to the side.

"H-Holy crap," he stammered, staring at her two gorgeous full breasts. Sliding a hand up her body, Mac cupped the smooth-as-silk skin, and teased the tight pink peaks with leisurely strokes.

"Like what you see?" Smirking wickedly, she arched her back into his touch.

"You know I do, Beautiful." Mac bent down, taking the peak into his mouth. She keened shamelessly, fingers gripping his hair, while he tasted her silken skin. He moved from one to the other, tongue swirling around the nipple. Gasping, she bucked her hips into the painful bulge of his erection. He groaned against her, moving back to capture her mouth in a long, deep, kiss- tongue twining with hers. Breaking the kiss, Nora grabbed the hem of her skirt, shimmying it and her underwear off in one motion and tossing it haphazardly aside. Sitting on his knees, Mac took in the wonderful sight before him. She was so curvy, breasts swaying slightly with every little motion, thick hips, round ass, and amazingly soft skin. He kissed the line of a scar ran vertical just below her bellybutton, hand working his way down to her soft curls. Dragging his calloused fingers excruciatingly slow across her slick dripping folds, he bit back a moan.

"Are you... are you sure you want to do this?" His mind screamed for him to continue, but he had to ask. "I don't think you want to get... um..."

"Don't worry. My body has been- uh- not the same since I woke up. Being cryogenically frozen isn't great for a woman's reproductive parts. Besides..." she drew out the word, sitting up and popping open the button on MacCready's jeans, sliding the zipper down with a loud zip, "I need you. Right. _Now_."

With one swift pull, she tugged him free from his confines. He was painfully hard, cock tip flushed red, standing fully erect against himself and pearling precum. Mac held his breath as he watched her stare at him with hungry eyes. Biting her lip, Nora gripped his cock in one hand, giving a few long torturous strokes.

"Fuuuuucking hell!" He couldn't stop the curse this time and he couldn't care less. Pulling off his pants the rest of the way off, he leaned forward, capturing her in another heated kiss. Mac, cradling her under him, pushed into her with one smooth thrust. She cried out against his shoulder, and he gasped at the feeling of her scalding hot core. Nora was so tight and wet, he had to still himself long enough not to cum from just being inside her.

Mac started slow, gradually picking up the pace, finding a steady rhythm. She kissed his jaw, his neck, his shoulder, anywhere she could, moaning with Mac at every thrust. Nora's head fell back, body arched, as she writhed against him. She cried his name loud, over and over again, wave after wave of warm pleasure washing over her shuddering body. MacCready's pace picked up speed, falling out of rhythm. He was getting close, his body growing tense.

"Oh, Nora, I-I'm- FUCK!" whimpered Mac as he came hard, hot spurts of cum spilling inside of her with each jerky thrust. Collapsing on top of her, he gave sloppy kisses between ragged breaths. After a moment, they both untangled themselves and crawled into the sleeping bag.

"Let's sleep out here tonight," Nora said hoarsely.

MacCready was too spent and happy to care where he was as long as he was with her. Grunting in agreement, he held her close. They slotted together so perfectly. Nora laid half on top of him, drawing abstract shapes on his chest, and sighed against his sensitive skin.

"What are you going to do once Duncan gets better?"

Opening his eyes, he gazed at the twinkling stars. "I'm thinkin' Daisy could bring him here on one of her caravans."

"You're not going back to the Capital Wasteland?" she asked, her voice going high as if surprised by his answer.

MacCready chuckled, smiling as he kissed her temple. "And leave you? Not a chance in hell."

His heart was full, feeling as if it was about to burst. This had to be one of the best days of his life, and he'd never forget the day Nora had said 'I love you'.


End file.
